


one wild and precious life

by retrofaery



Category: The Boyz (Korea Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Criminals, Heist AU, M/M, Making Out, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, POV Multiple, Polyamory, Violence, heist #1: kidnapping chaebol!younghoon, relationships will be tagged as they show up!
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-19
Updated: 2021-01-19
Packaged: 2021-03-14 18:34:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,572
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28799907
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/retrofaery/pseuds/retrofaery
Summary: There's a new group in Seoul, led by an elusive sniper. And maybe they'd be squashed out completely without a second glance, but they're coming in strong, and with a mission—take out the bosses, and stop the cycle of hidden underground crime.Their tactic? Increasingly dramatic heists, including hijacking a plane to Los Angeles, stealing the most prized jewels of Europe, and... kidnapping Kim Younghoon, richest chaebol in Korea? (“You'rekiddingme,” they all groan, but Sangyeon's smile only widens.)(And if they're all in love with each other, too? Well, that's their secret to keep.)
Relationships: Bae Joonyoung | Jacob/Kim Sunwoo, Choi Chanhee | New/Ji Changmin | Q/Moon Hyungseo | Kevin, Choi Chanhee | New/Moon Hyungseo | Kevin, Everyone/Everyone
Comments: 12
Kudos: 50





	one wild and precious life

**Author's Note:**

> so... i started writing this last night. y'know when you get an idea and then it just takes over completely? yeah. 
> 
> but welcome to the polyam heist au i've been nursing for over a year now, across several different fandoms—it happened to settle really well with tbz (i mean, _really_ well, considering i wrote so much over the course of less than a day) which i'm super happy about!!
> 
> as of ch1 i don’t think anything warrants the archive tag for violence, but that’ll probably change soon enough, just a heads up. also, lmk if you think the one violent bit in this chapter does warrant the archive warning.
> 
> otherwise, enjoy!!!

`si vis pacem, para bellum`  
` if you want peace, prepare for war `

**THREE DAYS AGO**

Kim Taesook was a tall man—194 centimeters—and had the presence of a supergiant _made_ to make others feel small and powerless under his gaze.

The assistant took note of it, because it was impossible to avoid. Day three on the job and already he watched as Taesook (who liked being referred to as _Boss_ , like some ridiculous mob villain straight out of a movie) ordered his other assistants and office workers around as though they were animals to his trainer. He saw it unfold not once, not twice, but _every hour_ he was on the job, and sometimes after hours, too. 

Frankly, the assistant was sick of his shit already.

He was never the most tolerant person. Why he took the job mystified him even as he jotted down quick, scrawly notes in his journal in the mornings before his ridiculous ten-hour shift began, making sure to keep away from his perpetually alert roommate, who always seemed to be watching him. Every day thus far was nothing short of hellish, and if there were times where it _wasn’t_ hellish, it was incredibly boring. His job was to stay alert, to observe, and he could barely even do that.

Yet at the same time, there was an undercurrent of something just underneath that the assistant couldn’t quite place. _It’s like everyone is in on some joke, and I won’t know about it unless I keep looking_ , he wrote to a friend on day two. Perhaps, to anyone else, the observation made so early would only set off alarm bells, but the assistant prided himself on his ability to watch, to see what others couldn’t. Either way, he knew the other workers weren’t in on the joke—whatever the joke was. They existed within a practiced kind of silence, eyes downcast and arms wrapped around their papers as they ran through the office and in and out of Taesook’s room. It was a silence that spoke of knowing something was up, but not wanting to know what that _something_ was.

But the energy was stifling, and the assistant was curious to figure out what was going on. That overarching question is what pushed him to continue observing, as he grabbed his breakfast and headed to the main building. He had to balance his drink on top of his box of food precariously to hold his tag with one hand and unlock the doors to head in, letting out a short sigh of relief when the drink nearly tipped over and uprighted itself last minute.

Today, there was something heavy in the air. Office workers didn’t bother looking up at the assistant—who dressed exactly like them, boring and drab and all too unenthusiastic to get any kind of work done today—as he made his way past their cubicles to head to his own. Yet the assistant wondered if someone was watching him. 

Making himself as inconspicuous as possible as he sat in his chair and set his food down next to his computer, he turned around slowly, slowly, examining anything and everything in his sight. The security cameras were nothing new, of course, so he paid them no heed. He trained his eyes to focus on the faintest of reflections long ago, but when he peered at the floor-to-ceiling windows, he couldn’t see anyone looking at him.

He craned his neck over the chair and forced his features into a picture of nonchalance when he realized there was a man next to the elevator staring directly at him. They locked gazes for one long moment. When it was clear the man didn’t plan on looking away anytime soon, the assistant turned back around casually, opening his box of food and ignoring his instincts screaming at him to do anything else.

 _Huh_. The assistant didn’t recognize this man, but that wasn’t surprising, because he was still new. There was nothing menacing in his gaze, either—he was simply watching him. Observing. _Sizing him up._

 _Calm down,_ he told himself, biting his lip. If the man knew what was good for him, he wouldn’t try anything in front of the entire room of workers. Plus, he had work to get done. Distractions would only mean him staying overtime, and he didn’t want to be fired three days in for falling asleep on the job.

So he opened up his emails and began the long process of work.

Of course, the bad feeling in his gut that spoke of an omen refused to dissipate. The assistant was so used to this kind of adrenaline that it didn’t even make time pass by any faster than it normally did (at a snail’s pace), so there were moments of brief _excruciating_ boredom followed by nervousness. 

He wanted so badly to turn around again, to see if the man was still looking at him. He also ached to speak to his friend, because the assistant was always the kind of person to let his feelings out as soon as possible. But he could do neither of those things, for fear of… well, whatever there was to fear.

All that, and the knowledge that things would be resolved sooner or later, kept him working. After a while he managed to concentrate so well that when he felt a tap on his shoulder, he jumped and turned, alarmed, to see Hyunjin.

Hyunjin was a pretty girl. Doe-eyed, but not in an innocent way. Her smile was kind, and she giggled with a hand over her mouth when he startled. “Sorry, did I startle you?”

“It’s fine,” the assistant mumbled. “What do you need?”

“I can’t say hi to the newbie?” Hyunjin asked, affronted. Then she shook her head. “No, I’m kidding. I wanted to say hi, yeah, but T— _boss,_ sorry. Anyway, he wants you in his office as soon as you’re available.”

“I still have some other emails to send out,” he said coolly. “I’ll meet with him as soon as I can, though.”

Hyunjin raised an eyebrow. “I know you’re still new here, but you’re aware of the boss’ tendencies, right?”

The assistant pursed his lips. He _really_ didn’t know how these people managed to do it, putting up with this bullshit for a paycheck they could find elsewhere. “I do, don’t worry. But I _also_ know I need these emails out before 11, so just—give me a few minutes, yeah?”

Hyunjin still looked uncertain, searching his face. The assistant blinked up at her, feigning confusion, until she shrugged. “Okay, but if I hear you getting yelled at…”

“You’ll keep your head down if you know what’s good for you,” the assistant joked, but Hyunjin seemed to take him seriously as she nodded and then turned on her heel to head back to her desk. The assistant watched her leave, and then gave into his urges and glanced quickly to the side—

The man was _still there_. Still staring at him with that same blank expression. It was impressive, how well the man pulled it off. The assistant made sure to flash a polite smile this time as he turned back around.

He really wasn’t lying about having emails to send, so he finished up his work as quickly as possible and then stood, making sure to pocket his phone and sign out of his computer. All completely useless precautions that didn’t make him feel any safer than he felt ten seconds prior, but the movements were ingrained in him by now. He refused to look at the man again—once was valid, twice made it clear he was curious, but the third time would be flat-out suspicious—as he jogged quickly over to the coffee machine. If Taesook tried to yell at him, at least the assistant would have something to appease him with.

 _Appease_. The assistant hated how dirty the word sounded as he mouthed it carefully to himself, staring down at the cup of coffee. He hated how it made his chest feel like closing up around the sheer amount of hatred he already felt for Taesook and everything he stood for. The man was filthy rich and an absolute bastard and clearly, everyone around him knew it, but they either wanted to suck up to him or stay quiet for the benefit of their own paycheck.

But to the assistant, the philosophy was simple, he thought as he stepped outside of the office and walked down the hallway, as aware of his surroundings as he could possibly be even in his own head. To excuse any kind of oppression for the sake of one’s own needs would keep the needs alive, sure, but never thriving. And what the assistant wanted was for people to _thrive_ , but that could only ever come to those willing to tear everything down, starting with the foundation.

He felt no modicum of excitement spark through him to know he was going to accomplish just that, and that nothing would stop him. He found himself smiling and arranged it into something hopefully less feral as he knocked on Taesook’s door.

“Come in,” the man called boredly.

The assistant opened the door slowly, as if he were trying not to startle him. Taesook was leaned back against his chair, hair swept away from his forehead and pinstripe suit tailored perfectly to him. He was objectively handsome, but _evil_ just radiated off of him, turning his hard stare into something ugly. Across from him sat two people, one of which turned to face him.

It was his roommate, looking him up and down appraisingly. The assistant’s stomach dropped immediately, but he hid it behind a bow, keeping his cup of coffee steady. Then he stood up straight and fidgeted, unsure of what to do next.

“Come sit, boy,” Taesook said, gesturing at him to come closer, and the assistant obeyed. It was only when he sat down gingerly on the third chair that he realized the other person was the man who had been watching him just minutes prior. 

_Shit,_ he should’ve kept an eye on him. Acting casual then seemed pointless now that he’d clearly been figured out, and he cursed himself quietly even as he looked down when Taesook said, “You’re late.”

“Sincerest apologies, boss,” the assistant said quietly, setting the coffee down on the table.

Taesook’s lip curled. “You came prepared, huh?” He said mockingly, but reached across the table for the cup anyway.

Then the office was silent for a long moment, save for the irritating sound of Taesook gulping his drink down. The assistant swore the man next to him wasn’t breathing with how still he was. The whole atmosphere just felt… _off_ , and not just in the way the assistant knew his cover was pretty much blown.

Taesook broke him out of his thoughts by leaning back further in his chair to kick his feet up onto the table, hands folded over his stomach. “So,” he drawled. “Do you know why you’re here, boy?”

“No,” the assistant said.

“Really, now,” Taesook said. When the assistant looked up quickly to meet his gaze, he saw Taesook staring hard at him. To any lesser man, the look would have pinned him to his spot. To the assistant, all it did was set a fire in him to teach the ridiculous man a lesson.

But then Taesook jutted his chin out at his roommate, and said, “Show him the notebook,” and the assistant knew he was screwed.

His roommate threw the notebook on the table. It landed with a resounding _thud_ that made the assistant nearly bite his lip, staring at it as blankly as possible. He wanted to bring it with him wherever he went, but their belongings were searched everywhere, and an office worker bringing around a notebook as he watched people… well, it certainly would have been suspicious. But he thought he’d been smart with shoving it between his bed and the wall, so deep one would have to fish for it to find it. He thought he’d been smart keeping his journaling to a minimum, and always when his roommate was out.

The assistant startled when Taesook said, “What on earth is this, do you think?”

There was no point faking shit anymore. “My notebook,” the assistant said calmly.

“Incredibly intellectual response,” Taesook said flatly. “What do you think are in the contents of this notebook of yours?”

“Am I allowed to say I don’t know?” The assistant said innocently. That was when he saw the first flash of movement from the man to his right—a careful tip of his head as he continued staring at Taesook, so minute only the trained eye would be able to catch it. He watched as Taesook’s gaze trailed carefully to the man before he shook his head—subtly, but without the finesse of the other man next to him. It was clear who had the experience and who didn’t, but that wasn’t important.

“Kyungil, you are dismissed,” Taesook said tightly. His roommate stood up to leave, and the assistant wished he could strangle him. As soon as the door closed, his boss said, “I will not take your back talk. Do you hear me?”

His voice was so menacing that the assistant wanted to strangle him, too. “Of course.”

“Now,” Taesook said. “Kyungil handed this notebook to me just an hour ago, asking me to read through it. And so I did, expecting nonsense—not expecting to see a list of my physical dimensions, as well as the best ways to go about _assassinating_ me.” Taesook looked like he wanted to spit on him. _Do it,_ the assistant thought to himself. _Do it and let me kill you myself._ “I wonder what you have to say for yourself.”

The assistant bit back a smile. “No comment.”

The man’s hands twitched, and the assistant wanted so badly for him to just— _try_. Try laying a finger on him, try doing anything—

The assistant would make sure they were taken care of. There was no other way to go about it—this is what he was here to do, and so he would accomplish that requirement with flying colors, no matter what.

“Let it be known that there are armed guards standing right outside this door,” Taesook said, voice dropping dangerously low. And that you will not make it out of here without suitable punishment.” _My blood on your hands_. “But before we go through those motions, I want my secretary to show you something.”

So that was the title of the man, who opened his briefcase to pull out one picture. He set it on the table and slid it over to him, and the assistant blinked before he reared back in shock, despite himself.

“We know him as _Ji Changmin_ ,” Taesook said coolly, “and we believe you are tied directly to him. I would ask, but from your reaction… I think we can assume.”

The assistant would normally not be so bothered, but the picture—it was of Changmin in their hideout spot just days before the assistant was sent out to start his new job. The camera was angled so that the assistant knew it had to come from one of the taller buildings next to it. Changmin was relaxing by the window, hands above his head. He felt the phantom feeling of fear make its way up his spine because Changmin was smiling at someone off-camera, and the assistant knew that person was _him._

“There is a target on his back,” Taesook said, and when the assistant looked up at him the man was _smiling_. It was a cruel little thing, curling his lips up into something hateful. “And before we kill you, I’d like to know everything you can tell me.”

The assistant felt… he didn’t know what he felt. Of all things to happen, he expected everything to revolve around him—expected to make it through the one week without trouble, collecting information and then dipping unceremoniously, and if something happened, he’d figure it out on his own.

But _Changmin._ A target on his back, and the feeling that the assistant walked right into a trap set up perfectly for him. Quickly, he felt the numbness take shape, forming a low, simmering rage that he knew would boil over soon enough.

“Cat got your tongue?” Taesook mocked. The assistant didn’t have to look at the secretary to know his hand was already resting on a pistol. He didn’t have to turn around to sense the presence of all the guards Taesook promised standing right behind that door. “Speak up or else.”

But Sunwoo was no _pussy_. Taesook could threaten his life all he fucking wanted. Sunwoo didn’t care because he was _used_ to people underestimating him, holding things over his head and then acting shocked when he snapped. Taesook could threaten _his_ life, but not Changmin’s. _Never_ Changmin’s.

He stood up slowly, aware that the secretary wouldn’t shoot, because Taesook wanted info Sunwoo wouldn’t give him. “Before I die,” Sunwoo said demurely, “can I just, like, say something real quick?”

Taesook was god-awful at hiding his emotions, Sunwoo realized. The man glared at him before he said, “Spit it out.”

Sunwoo stretched his arms over his head carefully, taking his time. He licked his lips. Perhaps he could go for Taesook’s throat, but only after he disarmed the secretary, who watched him like a hawk but seemed… slow. They were on the seventh story, but Sunwoo would likely have to jump.

Sangyeon told him not to kill Taesook because they needed information, but there was no way Sunwoo would let him roam free, not with Changmin in possible danger. He would simply have to take the man down with him.

“You are a terrible, terrible man,” Sunwoo said, not bothering to hide the venom in his voice. “You are _evil_. And you will _never_ lay a hand on Changmin.” He paused. “By the way, your suit is ugly as fuck, you weirdo.”

Then, without blinking, he punched the secretary’s jaw with enough force to tip the chair over. A gunshot fired wildly, and Sunwoo leaped over the desk. He only had the slightest of moments to savor the look of shock on the man’s face before he wrapped a hand around the man’s throat, not bothering to strangle him as he used his other hand to rest a hand under Taesook’s chin before casually snapping his neck.

The door slammed open, and Sunwoo broke the glass of the window. He was bleeding already, he knew, but there was no time to care as he jumped out into fresh air, dragging Taesook down with him.

⚔️ 

Jacob was surprised and a little worried to see the phone call. As soon as his phone started vibrating, he stepped out of the group meeting, nodding silently when Sangyeon gave him a questioning glance. He closed the door when he got into the hallway and picked up immediately, keeping his voice casual. “Hey, sunshine. Everything good? How are you?”

“Jacob hyung. Are you free right now?”

Sunwoo’s voice was low, soft as it crackled through the speaker. Jacob leaned against the wall. “Of course. What’s up?”

“I killed Taesook,” Sunwoo said calmly, and Jacob groaned.

“ _Sunwoo_. You’re kidding, right? Please tell me you’re kidding.” When Sunwoo didn’t respond, Jacob groaned again. “Baby, that was the _one thing_ you weren’t supposed to do—”

“I know,” Sunwoo sighed. “But hyung, I had a good reason for it, I promise. They—there’s a target on Changmin hyung’s back.”

Jacob froze. “... Changmin? Why?”

“Why would I know?” Sunwoo pointed out irritably. “Didn’t really have time to ask with a gun pointed at me.”

“You’re right,” Jacob soothed easily. Sunwoo’s feathers were always so easily ruffled post-mission, especially if that mission went wrong somehow, and it was why he was always so good at comforting the younger boy. “Sorry, sorry. I just—god, we’ll handle that as soon as we can. How are you, though? Are you safe?”

“I’m okay. Not really sure if I’m safe, but I’m in the hideout we were in three months ago, remember?”

Jacob nodded before realizing he was on the phone. “I do. We’ll have someone keeping an eye on the security cameras there, yeah? Can’t have you getting hurt.”

“Thank you, hyung,” Sunwoo sighed. And then—“I know it’s unsafe for me to come back now, but I… I want—”

“Sunwoo,” Jacob interjected gently. “Sweetheart. I know you want to come home, but you’re right, it’s unsafe. That hideout will work out just fine for now, okay? Can you stay there for a little bit?”

“I don’t want to,” Sunwoo whined, but nothing about it was petulant. He sounded miserable, honestly, and Jacob wanted nothing more than to hold him close. “... But okay.”

Jacob bit his lip. “Thank you,” he said. “And I’m sorry, baby. I know it’s hard. I mean—you just killed someone.”

“And I don’t regret it,” Sunwoo said, his voice cold for a moment before he softened up again. “Will you guys go through with the main mission, though?”

Jacob sighed. He wished he could take Sunwoo with—the younger boy was their jack of all trades along with Haknyeon, and any help would be appreciated—but everything had already been set up. They’d learned the mistake of overpowered missions long ago, where too many voices and too many roles ended up backfiring completely. Sunwoo was supposed to stay where he was, collecting information for another three days, so… “Yeah, we will.”

“Okay, just keep me updated,” Sunwoo said. There was rustling in the background. “Hyung?”

“Yeah?”

“I love you,” Sunwoo said, raw and honest. Jacob wondered how he could be so clearly tired and scared and still sound so loving. That was the power of run-ins with death—they made you appreciate everything with the desperation of a dying man who had nothing left to lose. But that was also just Sunwoo, who Jacob was always so worried to see head out on a mission by himself. 

Not because he couldn’t handle things—Sunwoo was undoubtedly one of their strongest members, and the best at long-term reconnaissance. But because there was a certain light in the younger boy that Jacob _really_ didn’t want to see fade under the pressure of their work.

Jacob stared down at his shoes. “I love you too. Have you eaten at all?”

“I have, don’t worry,” Sunwoo said. “I’m about to sleep for a bit. Just wanted to check in with you.”

Sangyeon stepped into the hallway, then. He closed the door and searched Jacob’s face for a quick moment before motioning for him to put Sunwoo on speaker. “Sunwoo, it’s Sangyeon. Are you safe?”

“I am,” Sunwoo said through a yawn. “I’m sure Jacob hyung can update you, I’m about to pass the hell out.”

Sangyeon chuckled. “Okay, get some rest. Call us when you wake up, alright? We’ll have a plan for you by then.”

“Love you both,” Sunwoo said sleepily, and then he hung up.

As soon as Jacob pocketed his phone, he straightened and glared at Sangyeon, whose expression was unreadable. “Hyung, I _told_ you this mission would be too hard on Sunwoo.”

Sangyeon shook his head. “You’re too protective. Sunwoo has seen worse than this.”

“So what?” Jacob asked, annoyed. “That doesn’t mean we should put him in dangerous situations anyway.”

Sangyeon raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms. “What would you prefer, then? That we swapped Sunwoo out with Chanhee? Juyeon, maybe?” When Jacob didn’t respond, Sangyeon pursed his lips. “The job is difficult, Jacob. But someone has to do it, and Sunwoo volunteered as soon as Eric brought it up. He’s safe, and that’s all that matters.”

Jacob knew he was being a little ridiculous, but he just—every time he thought about Sunwoo possibly hurt, his breath caught in his throat. He shoved the thoughts away in favor of sighing. “I know, hyung. But he—he told me he killed Taesook.”

Sangyeon stiffened. “ _What?_ Okay, tell me what happened.”

Sunwoo’s details were vague, so Jacob updated him quickly. When he was done, Sangyeon dragged a hand over his face. “ _Fuck._ What the hell do they want with _Changmin,_ though?”

“I have no idea,” Jacob said honestly. “We’re gonna have to look into that. You think we can pry more details out of Sunwoo when he wakes up?”

“Probably,” Sangyeon sighed. For a moment, he looked so tired that Jacob felt exhaustion in the air like a palpable thing. But then Sangyeon met his eyes again, gaze sharp. “But right now, we need to finalize our plans. We’ll figure everything out as soon as everyone is dismissed to get ready.” Then he paused. “Don’t tell Changmin about this. Don’t tell _anyone_ about this.”

“Not even Eric?” Jacob said with uncertainty. Their youngest was privy to a majority of information that flowed into Sangyeon and Jacob’s spaces. “He put this together. I’m sure telling him would be imp—”

“Eric can’t keep a secret,” Sangyeon reminds him. There was nothing mean in his tone, just calm. “And we can’t have anyone stressing out over this right now. Changmin is our demolitions expert. He can’t be even the slightest bit distracted. Okay?”

Jacob hated keeping secrets, but he understood the necessity. He didn’t want to see the look of worry on Changmin’s face, too. But telling Sunwoo to keep it quiet for now… that would be difficult. And of course, Sangyeon was likely expecting _him_ to handle that.

But that was his job. Expressing weariness now would be pointless. So he nodded, and let Sangyeon throw an arm around his shoulder, dragging him into a half-hug. “We should go back inside,” Jacob said, and Sangyeon hummed.

“You’re right,” the older man said. “Let’s get this show on the road.”

**PHASE I**

“Changmin,” Kevin sighs for the fifth time, “you _really_ need to sit still.”

“I’m trying!” Changmin whines, even as he crosses and uncrosses his legs. “You think it’s _fun_ , sitting here for hours on end while you cake makeup on me?”

“It hasn’t been hours, it’s been fifteen minutes,” Kevin points out tiredly. “Also, I’m not _caking makeup_ on you. I just need you to look, like, sort of appropriately dressed, yeah? Can you sit still for me?”

Changmin pouts. “ _Fine_. Do your thing, I guess.”

Kevin breathes a sigh of relief. “Thank the heavens, oh my goodness,” he says under his breath, and then he leans down to kiss Changmin’s forehead, where his black hair is parted. “Okay, let me work.”

As soon as Kevin turns to grab more makeup, Changmin grins giddily at Chanhee, who has to hide a laugh behind his hand. When Changmin points at his forehead excitedly, Chanhee rolls his eyes and then sticks his tongue out at him, and Changmin gives a mockingly affronted gasp. Then Kevin turns back around and Changmin goes very still, closing his eyes.

Chanhee is already ready. He helped Hyunjae and Haknyeon, too. They’re both utterly hopeless in the makeup department, and he couldn’t resist giving Juyeon a hug when he realized the boy had managed to do his own makeup, thank fucking god. The three of their appearances are less important—and so is Changmin’s, too—to the mission itself than Chanhee and Kevin, but they had to make sure they were dolled up appropriately, anyway.

There’s a dress code for this gala, obviously, which annoyed everyone but pleased Chanhee greatly. It’s been a while since he’s been able to show himself off for a mission, and the best part? He’ll be going in with _Kevin_ , who also seemed excited at the prospect of dressing up when Sangyeon pointed it out three days ago in their mission prep. Sure, it's just for one night—both Chanhee and Kevin are suited to short-term reconnaissance, infiltrating both as a distraction and to scope out the official field—but sue him. Sometimes one needs to have a little fun with their missions, and if that includes shiny makeup and fancy clothes? All the better for him.

Also, Chanhee is a little giddy over the thought of doing this mission with Kevin. It’s been a while since nearly every hand on deck was required for a mission, and because he and Kevin have such similar roles, they haven’t worked together for a bit. But now they’ll be dressed to the nines, entering this gala hand-in-hand as a rich, gorgeous couple with nothing on their minds but the brand of wine they’ll be served. Chanhee hopes they’ll turn heads. 

He looks at himself in the mirror and touches his freshly dyed blonde hair with blue streaks. The best part of his outfit is undoubtedly his earrings. Hyunjae always points out how many piercings he has, but Chanhee’s made good use of them—he has an arrow through his left industrial, glimmering stars down to his earlobe on both sides, and on his right ear, a crescent moon hangs down low, nearly brushing against his collarbone. 

He’s wearing a baby blue blouse that ends right above his belly button, showing off the pale skin of his stomach and the piercing he’d gotten a year ago with Haknyeon after losing a bet (he doesn’t regret it, though). The sleeves are flowy and white, engulfing his hands and making him look smaller than he actually is when sitting down. The flair of his waist is accentuated by black pants that hug his legs, and he wears heels that make him tower over Changmin when they both stand up.

“Jesus, you’re tall,” Changmin mutters. Then he looks up expectantly at Chanhee. “How do I look?”

Chanhee considers him for a moment. Kevin’s skills are flawless as usual, because he’s wearing glittery red eyeshadow that matches his matching red-and-black blouse, the same as Chanhee’s. It makes his gaze hawk-like as he stares up at him. 

His lips are glossy in a way that makes Chanhee want to lean over and kiss him. He doesn’t have a piercing but it doesn’t make the slip of skin any less enticing. Instead of heels—the only person who knows how to run in heels in their group is Chanhee—he’s wearing boots that go halfway up his calf. Kevin is wearing the same thing, but with dark purple instead of red and a matching crescent moon earring.

“You look like an evil little elf,” Chanhee laughs, and Changmin glares at him when Kevin giggles. “No, but you look really hot! I was joking, I promise.”

“Hmph.” Changmin crosses his arms and then uncrosses them immediately afterwards to give Kevin a hug. “Thanks, Binnie.”

“Don’t ruin your makeup!” Kevin protests as Changmin squishes his cheeks against his shoulder, but he hugs him back anyway. “You’re always welcome.”

Chanhee watches them fondly. Sometimes it’s a little disconcerting to see Changmin and Kevin like this before a mission. He’s worked with everyone for so long that it’s easy, now, to separate the friends he sees during missions from the friends he sees in his everyday life, but sometimes… he forgets Changmin and Kevin are dangerous people. Changmin with his proud dagger collection, love for fighting, and obsession with demolitions, and Kevin’s quiet menace, the way he helps Changmin put explosives together with a practiced ease that always manages to startle Chanhee. 

He really, truly feels bad for anyone who faces their wrath. And he knows he’s not exempt from that narrative—Sangyeon calls him their dirtiest fighter for a reason, and that’s a hard-earned title with people like Changmin and Sunwoo on their team. Chanhee would rather _not_ get his hands dirty, but if he has to, he might as well not hold back. It’s a philosophy that leaves his knuckles scarred for sure, but he doesn’t care. 

Kevin’s checks the clock to see 20:30. “Mm, we need to leave soon. The others are probably waiting for us.”

“Let me grab my knives,” Changmin says cheerily, and again Chanhee is hit with the whiplash of how _cute_ Changmin is despite his words. 

He’s distracted when Changmin steps forwards and throws his arms around Chanhee’s neck, pulling him into a soft kiss. They laugh against each other’s lips when Kevin huffs, exasperated. “Changmin, I _just_ put that lip gloss on. Chanhee, you’re wearing lipstick too!”

“Let him look a little disheveled,” Changmin says, pulling away to pat Chanhee’s cheek. “Then everyone will know he belongs to you, yeah?”

Chanhee doesn’t miss the way Kevin’s eyes flash in the warm glow of their room. “Yeah, yeah. Get out of here already.”

Changmin snickers but obeys, practically sashaying out and hurrying down the hallway. Chanhee leans back on the table behind him, quirking an eyebrow at Kevin. “ _Belong to you,_ hm?”

Kevin takes his time washing his hands and wiping them off with a rag. He shakes his long, dark hair out of his eyes and looks Chanhee up and down. “Don’t appreciate the sentiment?”

Chanhee grins. “It’s not like I have any reason _not_ to, right? Changmin was only speaking the truth.”

Kevin’s lips pull up into a small smile. “Are you saying what I think you’re saying, Choi Chanhee?”

He takes a step closer, and Chanhee revels in that flush of excitement tightening his chest. Kevin is sweet, and soft, and more often than not Chanhee has to make his desire known for Kevin to even notice it, but there are times when his gaze sharpens into something so predatory it makes Chanhee want to be chased. And the way he looks at him now…

He has to resist the urge to lick his dolled-up lips when Kevin leans in, settling a hand on his waist. Just that slight contact makes Chanhee shiver for more. “That I belong to you?” He manages to whisper. “Yeah, I do.”

Kevin noses along his jaw, and Chanhee’s breath catches in his throat when Kevin moves up, up, up, until their lips are just millimeters from each other. Chanhee wants to lean in and crush their mouths together _so_ badly, but he holds himself back. Waits for Kevin’s next move. Feels himself getting drunk off of the way Kevin holds him, quiet and _intoxicating_ and—

He groans when Kevin pulls away with a grin. “Kevin, seriously?”

“Sorry. Can’t mess up that lipstick of yours,” Kevin laughs, patting his hips and then turning around to grab his jacket. “Come on, kitty, let’s head out.”

Chanhee pretends his face doesn’t burn at the pet name as he grabs his own jacket, tossing it over his shoulders. “You suck,” he mutters.

“You love me,” Kevin calls as he steps out of the room.

Their whole base is underground. It’s been like that since Sangyeon pulled them all together, and Chanhee admits he has no idea how the older man did it, but he doesn’t ask questions. He has his own room, though more often than not he’s hanging out in Kevin’s, these days. He feels a smile curl the edges of his lips up at the thought involuntarily as they walk down the hallway together.

Who can blame him, really? Kevin balances a deadly kind of sexy with so much easy kindness that Chanhee can’t help but lean on him, sometimes. He worries he’s burdening him, but Kevin always makes sure to remind him he doesn’t mind. He’s just… a safe haven in their world of chaos. 

It doesn’t help that he’s hot as hell, too, especially with this new hairstyle. He sighs dreamily to himself, but Kevin catches on, stepping closer to bump their hips together. “What’s on your mind?”

“You,” Chanhee says easily, and Kevin snorts.

“You flatter me.” But he reaches down and laces their fingers together anyway.

“Lovebirds back at it, huh?” Hyunjae calls as soon as they step into the main area. He’s got a smirk on his face that makes Chanhee want to smack him, but he’s secretly pleased when Kevin doesn’t let go of his hand. “You two look really good, though.”

“I expected nothing less from the best,” Jacob says from where he’s leaning against a countertop. He’d been furiously typing away on his phone but looks up now, gaze roaming over them and lingering on Kevin for a brief moment before they slide away. Chanhee doesn’t bother checking to see if Kevin caught that. He probably did. “Wow. Classy tonight.”

“Of course,” Chanhee sniffs. “Overdressing is a thing, you know.”

“I really don’t,” Jacob says with a giggle, shaking his head, “but I trust your judgement.”

Chanhee hears a low whistle and turns to see Sangyeon walking in with Juyeon and Haknyeon in tow. “You guys look amazing,” he says warmly as he sets his bag down on the ground next to the couch Hyunjae is sprawled out on.

“The perfect amount of class!” Haknyeon says excitedly, running to them to hug them both, and Chanhee laughs when the younger boy realizes he has to look up at Chanhee. “Hyung, were the heels really necessary?”

“Of course they were!” Chanhee huffs. “I look good in them, don’t I?”

“You do,” Juyeon says approvingly. He’s dressed in a simple red leather jacket that he leaves unzipped, a black muscle tee (Chanhee only noticed it because he accidentally walked in on Juyeon trying to ask if he needed help with makeup), and tight-fitting black jeans. Chanhee almost salivates at the sight, looking away instantly. His hair is red, too, courtesy of Hyunjae.

Speaking of Hyunjae, he’s pretty much matching outfits with Juyeon, except he’s wearing a blue bomber jacket on top of his black tee. Haknyeon wears a black sweater over ripped jeans and boots, a cap on his head. Chanhee takes note of the way Hyunjae immediately makes room for Haknyeon to sprawl down half on top of him, smirking at the older man, who scowls at him half-heartedly.

Juyeon, Hyunjae and Haknyeon look like they’re dressed to go to a club—which is where they’re going. Not really, of course, but the high-end nightclub down the street is where they’ll pretend to go while Chanhee and Kevin infiltrate the gala itself. 

“Do we have everyone here?” Sangyeon asks, counting them all before he frowns. “Where’s Changmin and Eric?”

“Sorry!” Eric yelps. He and Changmin practically run in together, collapsing together on the loveseat opposite Hyunjae and Haknyeon. Changmin’s got his backpack with him. “Changmin hyung enlisted me for help finding his last knife! … It was in one of his boots.”

“I totally forgot,” Changmin sighs as the rest of them laugh at him. All of them except for Juyeon, whose gaze is fixed steadfastly on Changmin and his outfit from where he stands next to Chanhee.

Chanhee nudges Juyeon as quietly as possible. “Pick your jaw up off the ground, Juyeonie.”

Juyeon makes a strangled noise and tears his gaze away. “Don’t tease.”

Chanhee giggles as Sangyeon claps his hands together. “Okay, _now_ we have everyone here. One more run-through before we split up?”

“Yes, please,” they all chime. They’ve all likely memorized the steps by now, but it never hurts to practice.

“Alright,” Sangyeon says, expression turning serious. “We’ll be splitting off into little groups for the most part—as per usual, Jacob and Eric will hang back in one of the secured buildings nearby. Juyeon, Haknyeon and Hyunjae will be at the nightclub on _high alert,_ I hope,” he says dryly, slanting a glance at Hyunjae, who sputters. “No, I don’t want to hear it. Changmin will be on the roof with me, setting up demolitions if necessary. Chanhee and Kevin will infiltrate the gala itself.

“Juyeon and Hyunjae—your main job is to protect Changmin and Haknyeon, respectively. _If_ there’s an altercation, those two will go in first. You two also need to make sure Chanhee and Kevin are safe. Understood?”

Juyeon and Hyunjae nod. Where the four of them are smaller and therefore lighter on their feet, Juyeon and Hyunjae function well as protection. This isn’t to say they’re slow by any means—Juyeon in particular works with lightning speed and a kind of mercilessness when he’s protecting Changmin that terrifies Chanhee, sometimes, and where Hyunjae lacks only somewhat in brute force, he more than makes up for it with his tactical mind, able to order them around even if he isn’t sitting behind a screen like Eric and Sangyeon.

But Haknyeon? He’s their ace, a brutal fighter with an affinity for pistols. Changmin is fast and _mean,_ using any trick—and his trusty knives—up his sleeves to win, and Chanhee’s the same, with an added flair because he likes to show off. Kevin is equally as tactical as Hyunjae—he’s just less likely to talk, silent and unwilling to give anyone any mercy, especially if a member is hurt on the field. 

Then there’s Eric and Jacob, who are the least likely on their team to fight up close and personal. The two of them are their hackers, and Eric is the one who puts their heists together, for the most part. Their youngest is a mastermind with a tendency to overwork himself to get them to their goals without a problem, and Jacob also functions as their medic, along with Kevin. Sangyeon is their moral support, a fighter who prefers to pull his punches for the satisfaction of watching other members get the last blow in. He’s their long-range sniper, in the midst of teaching Eric and Chanhee to follow in his footsteps.

In more ways than one, they make for the ideal dynamic. Sunwoo isn’t here tonight—still in his hideout until tomorrow morning, when Jacob deemed it clear for Juyeon and Sangyeon to pick him up—but he’s like all of them packed into one, their second ace. Like this, they can switch members in and out of missions, their group’s size and adaptability allowing for some members to rest while others take charge. If a member is injured, someone else can take their place until they properly heal. 

It’s almost like a family, but Chanhee wouldn’t know.

Sangyeon passes the weapons out—a gun and a dagger for Haknyeon, two guns for Juyeon and Hyunjae, daggers that Kevin and Chanhee are careful to hide—and then looks between the two of them. “You guys understand the weight of your role tonight, I assume.”

Chanhee swallows thickly. “We do,” Kevin says.

“Good.” Sangyeon nods curtly, staring at Chanhee for a beat longer. “We care about you, so don’t die.”

Kevin chuckles. “We’ll try not to, hyung.”

Rarely does Chanhee get the chance to _really_ be in the spotlight like this, he thinks as they start to make their way out and above ground. Reconnaissance typically requires him to hang low, observing and taking notes until he deemed it ready to leave. But this is different, because he and Kevin have a specific role to take tonight.

Chanhee still doesn’t understand why they need to kidnap the richest chaebol in the country, but he’s given up on questioning Sangyeon’s motives for the most part. All he knows right now is that he and Kevin are infiltrating the gala together. They’ll sit, sip at their wine and make conversation with airheaded rich people who don’t understand the weight of their own money. And then they’ll sneak out as soon as Kim Younghoon steps away for a breath of fresh air, and they’ll snatch him with minimal trouble, because that’s their job.

Apprehension already licks at Chanhee’s lungs. It makes him startle when Kevin takes his hand and tugs him close as everyone else is heading up the stairs, turning to give him a questioning look.

“You’re gonna do great tonight, okay?” Kevin says softly, and Chanhee tries not to melt.

“So will you,” he says, cupping Kevin’s jaw with a hand. “Can I get that kiss now, please? I don’t care about my lipstick, and I _obviously_ packed some extra—”

Kevin shuts him up with a kiss that turns heated quickly, Chanhee gasping as he grabs his waist again. It’s too easy to wrap his arms around Kevin’s neck, leaning into him, and Kevin makes a soft noise when Chanhee nips at his bottom lip. 

He doesn’t know how long they stand there. All he knows is that there’s really nowhere he’d rather be. And sometimes, he forgets that the threat of death or injury hangs over all of them in every single mission, and the thought of losing any of them, but _especially_ Kevin… he doesn’t want to think about it.

“Are you guys done making out?” Jacob drawls lazily from halfway up the first staircase, and Kevin pulls away slowly, thumbing at Chanhee’s bottom lip. Their lipstick is already smeared, of course, but Chanhee doesn’t care. _Disheveled, because Chanhee belongs to him._

He feels giddy at the thought. “We’re done,” Kevin says calmly, but not without one last kiss pressed against Chanhee’s jaw. “Okay, let’s head out.”

They’ll succeed tonight, or they’ll die trying. And Chanhee hasn’t yet figured the secret to immortality out yet, but he knows they won’t meet their end tonight. Not with liquid fire coursing through his veins already and Kevin’s hand in his, he thinks as they make their way up to fresh air, the night’s anticipation surrounding the nine of them. 

**Author's Note:**

> comments & kudos are always, always appreciated!!
> 
> as per usual, you can find me being an insane deobi fic writer on [twitter](https://twitter.com/9thstellium)! i’m priv 24/7 but requests are okay 💛


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